What you need to know to choose the right contractor for condo renovations

Condo renovations are tricky for many contractors. They share some similarities with residential projects, since they are places for families to live in, but face the same regulations as commercial projects in Virginia. Plus, any commercial renovations to condos most likely need to be done while residents are living in the complex

Finding a contractor who can check all those boxes is about as hard as managing a condo complex–and you know how hard that is. Luckily, there are some contractors in Virginia who can make these renovations much less complicated. Here’s how to find them.

Commercial Residential Experience

The phrase commercial residential might seem like an oxymoron, especially if you’ve read our other blog posts on the difference between commercial and residential construction. Yet, in the case of projects like condo renovations, someone who has experience dealing with commercial properties with tenants or a residential component is a must-have.

This experience can come from working with other condo complexes. In fact, it’s never a bad idea to ask other condo complexes in town for contractor recommendations. It can also come from working on other commercial buildings where residents live, such as assisted living facilities.

The key is to find a contractor who has worked on residential units for a commercial company–not a contractor who focuses on renovating single-family homes.

Minimal Disruption

Your tenants probably aren’t going to like being displaced from their home and while it might be inevitable in some cases, the amount of displaced tenants can be minimized, if you work with the right contractor.

While there are many important contractor green flags, there’s one that’s especially important for condo complexes: a minimal disruption guarantee. Before hiring a contractor, ask them about how disruptive their process is.

If they’re a contractor intent on minimal disruption, their answer will most likely be along the lines of explaining their process, such as how they use quieter tools or divide up the project into smaller parts so the least amount of people are disrupted at a time.

They should also have past projects they can point to with minimal disruption, such as our work at McCormick Law.

The third sign they’re committed to minimal disruption is if they finish projects on time. Finishing on time means you can get back to condo life as usual, instead of waiting around and wondering when construction will end.

Condo renovations are often a necessity, but they don’t have to be a headache. With the right contractor, they can be easy to complete and you and your tenets will be wowed by the results.

Carlton Building Services in Hampton Roads Virginia

Carlton Building Services specializes in repairs, maintenance, renovations, remodelings and build-outs for a variety of clients in Hampton Roads, Virginia Beach, and Chesapeake areas. We have years of experience handling projects in the retail, office, and healthcare space and would love to work with you on your next project!

To learn more about our services, check out past project highlights or contact Carlton Building Services to see how we can help with your next project.